Murray Wise

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman

Westchester Group, Inc.

Murray R. Wise was born on February 19, 1949 in Ontario, Canada, the son of Russell and Isabel Wise.  His parents operated a grain and livestock farm and from his earliest years a love of agriculture has been one of the driving forces in Murray's life.  As is the case with most farm kids, he was directly involved in many farm activities throughout his youth and, in fact, he acquired his first farm even before attending college.

Though he learned the craft of farming and acquired any number of "life lessons" through his early life on the farm, Murray was restless to know all he could absorb about the business of agriculture.  This ambition to excel in his chosen field led him to Iowa State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in less than four years.  Upon graduation his dedication and obvious commitment to a career in agriculture landed him a position as district sales manager with Allied Mills, Inc.  However, sales management didn't seem as rewarding as actually working in agriculture, and Murray eventually took a position with the Sandage Companies of Ames, Iowa.

His new employer was a traditional farm management firm which also brokered farmland sales.  During his tenure with the company Murray was promoted to vice president and assigned the task of opening a branch office in Champaign, Illinois.  In Champaign he broadened his own experience and established a reputation as an innovator.

In the farm recession of the mid eighties, Murray saw opportunities instead of obstacles and developed a number of innovative ideas to involve investors in farmland.  At this same time, he purchased the Champaign office of the Sandage Companies and formed Westchester Group, Inc.  He also found the time to earn an M.B.A. from the University of Illinois.

Westchester began with a staff of two:  Murray and an assistant.  Their primary business remained farm management and brokerage, but Murray was also implementing his ideas for involving individual investors in farmland using the limited partnership mechanism.  Westchester was successful in all areas and soon the staff was growing.  A succession of his farmland limited partnerships fared very well with Murray's firm locating the land, acquiring it, then managing the farms acquired.  This success drew the interest of financial manager Dale Cozad, whose own business involved extensive contact with both public and private pension funds.  Taking advantage of Dale's institutional contacts and Murray's innovative ideas for investment in farmland, the two formed Cozad/Westchester.  Today, Cozad/Westchester is the nation's leading agricultural asset manager with over $425 million in assets under management, literally from coast to coast.  From the row crops of its Midwestern base, the firm has expanded to involve citrus development in Florida, vineyards and almond orchards in California, and apples in Washington.

While involved on a daily basis in the business of acquisition of farmland on investors’ behalf, Murray determined that helping provide an exit strategy for farmland owners might also present opportunities.   Pursuing the idea, he became acquainted with an Indiana auction company which had developed a unique, computer-driven system for marketing farmland via auction.   A joint venture, Schrader/Westchester, was founded and has grown to be one of the nation's largest auction marketers of land.   In a related venture, Murray has founded Grindstone Partners, LLC.  The new company will acquire transitional land for development and resale.  He expects its scope to be national, but will carefully manage the company's growth.

At the same time he was establishing his businesses as national leaders, Murray also established his own position as a national authority on farmland investment, valuation and management.  He has been featured on national television, and radio stations from Maryland to Ames and addressed several national conferences related to agribusiness.  He has written two books on investing in agricultural real estate and has had many articles published in the industry press.   In addition to his own writing, he has been the subject of a number of articles in the financial and farming press.

Murray Wise's journey from Canadian farm boy to leader of the nation's premier agricultural asset management firm reflects the man's dedication, talent and leadership.    Further, Murray believes that those qualities must be nurtured in the future leaders of  American agriculture.  To that end, he established and funded the Westchester Foundation.  The private foundation's mission is to provide agricultural college scholarship assistance to individuals who demonstrate the sort of talent, commitment and leadership which can maintain and expand American agriculture's preeminent position in the world economy.

Integrity is the additional personal quality which is reflected in Murray's record of business and personal success.  Those who work with him seem to recognize instinctively that he says what he means.  Perhaps that's why he is as comfortable talking soil types with Iowa farmers as he is portfolio management with pension fund professionals.    In either situation, it's clear that Murray Wise is one of the most effective leaders in American agriculture.